If you’re looking into adding gold to your portfolio, how do you plan on doing that? You might have heard a few things from time to time, but you’re here looking for more information as to how you can utilize gold within your investments in different ways and to learn more about the market. So, keep reading to get that information.
It is important to understand the type of scale your gold dealer uses. Some dealers use a Troy scale while others use a pennyweight. On a Troy scale, gold weighs 31.1 grams per ounce. A pennyweight equals 1.555 grams. In comparison, a US scale measures each ounce of gold at 28 grams.
Before finalizing your gold sale, get the entire thing down in writing. Later on, if there’s any sort of problems related to the sale, you’ll need this signed written document at the ready to prove your case. If you don’t have it, you may find that proving any sort of fraud will be nearly impossible.
When you are buying or selling gold to another person, make sure you are keeping yourself protected agaisnt identity theft. Avoid giving out your personal financial information. This includes bank account numbers, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers. Take special care to not give out this type of information, especially over the phone to people that you don’t know.
Never feel too rushed when dealing with gold. These are highly involved purchases and sales. There’s lots of money on the table, so it’s important to be confident about your choices. If that means taking a few extra days to look into other options or to wait out a price fluctuation, then so be it.
Now is the best time to sell because gold prices have been at near record highs. You can sell your broken or unwanted gold jewelry, gold-plated dinner wear, gold coins and even dental gold. Gold buyers are anxious to buy anything that contains gold. Get several bids to ensure that you are getting the best price.
Make sure that you get your gold valued by a selection of different precious metal dealers before you agree to trade in your gold for cash. The price per gram of gold offered by different precious metal dealers can vary greatly, so it pays to get prices from many different dealers before agreeing on a deal.
Before selling you gold through the mail, be sure you know what the procedure is for getting your items back and any costs involved in doing so. Shipping to them is free, but the cost to get your pieces back is often massive. Know ahead of time if you must pay to get jewelry back.
When trying to determine if something is real gold or not, try holding it up to a magnet. Since true gold does not have any magnetic properties, it shouldn’t respond at all. If you observe any attraction between your “gold” and the magnet, you’ve probably been fooled or simply found a good imitation.
Go into your gold selling knowing the current price of gold. This is a commodity that has a fluctuating price. Every day it’s something new. If you aren’t in the know, you could be taken advantage of by a less than reputable gold buying company. Remember, knowledge is the real power here. Go into any negotiation ready with it.
Do not assume because there is no stamp that a piece of gold is not real. There are many solid gold pieces out there that are not stamped at all. Try testing the gold in question with a magnet and if it does not stick, you probably have solid gold.
When you buy gold as an investment, you should consider how easy it will be to sell when you are ready. Common gold coins are relatively simple to sell. Rare gold coins and coins mostly traded outside the US can be more difficult to sell. Gold bars can be expensive and difficult to resell if you need to send them to a dealer.
If you are thinking about investing in gold by buying jewelry, buy pieces of jewelry that you really love. That way, even if they go down in value, they will still be treasured possessions. They will also have sentimental value and can be passed on to your children one day.
If you have a piece of gold jewelry that has some history to it, or has been in your family for as long as you can remember have it looked at. The melt value might be really low, but there could be someone out there willing to pay a higher price for the intact piece of jewelry.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate a little bit with your gold dealer before selling or buying. There’s typically a little wiggle room in the prices that are offered to you, so take advantage of it. This is a major advantage of a face-to-face sale over one that’s done over the Internet.
While ETFs are a great way to trade in gold, nothing is like owning real gold. There are downsides to this, of course, such as the difficulty you will face if you need to sell the gold fast, plus the cost upfront is often large. Once six years have passed, though, it ends up being cheaper than an ETF.
There is very little state regulation and no federal regulation to help gold buyers find a reputable dealer. You can always check with the Better Business Bureau and check online reviews for information about specific gold dealers. The US Mint has a list of authorized purchasers and another listing of gold dealers by state.
Be sure that you pay attention to the advice that has been described so that you can work on making sure that you take advantage of investing with gold. Gold really is a great investment that has historically proven its status. Realize the steps necessary to invest in gold, and start working on a plan.
